


Warmth of Love

by IceSensei



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Cold, Curses, Hot Springs & Onsen, Ice Powers, Loneliness, M/M, Princes & Princesses, Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-13
Updated: 2017-01-02
Packaged: 2018-09-08 08:15:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8837239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IceSensei/pseuds/IceSensei
Summary: Prince Yuuri Katsuri wished not the solitude of his cold exterior upon anyone, therefore he submerged himself in a life of solitude that he suffered alone. He wished not his pain on anyone and blamed no one for how he was. He figured that if he didn’t touch anyone, he couldn’t harm anyone. Though in that process, he forgot to get himself that companionship that he desired for everyone else and left himself vulnerable to the claws of loneliness.





	1. I

Far across even the most foreign of lands, Hiroko and Toshiya Katsuki had been recognized as the fairest and most just rulers of the most beautiful of lands in the world. As the couple grew wiser and matured with age, their reputation only exceeded more and more expectations. Their most prized properties were the ones found in Kyushu, Japan where they had met and raised their family together. Their Hot Springs territories in Hasetsu, to be specific.

The springs themselves were said to be gifts from the gods blessed upon the royal family’s ancestors centuries ago after generously and unknowingly sheltering one of their holy messengers. Many people, poor and rich alike, came from lands far and wide to bathe in the warmth of the sacred waters. The Kastuki family was thanked time and time again for their generosity concerning their worshiped waters.

The beloved rulers raised their two children in the Hasetsu Castle and taught them to be as intelligent, kind, and generous as their reputation. Though no matter how much time and effort was put in, their eldest child and only daughter, Mari, seemed not to care for the Katsuki’s good name. She had a habit for accumulating bad habits. The Princess proved to sneak around without permission in the middle of the night and took up smoking to spite her parents.

The youngest of the Royal Katsuki bloodline was Yuuri. The Prince, though socially lacking, was adored by many for it was hard to despise someone whose intentions were so pure. The young boy seemed to carry the warmth of the Hot Springs in his very blood and shared it with everyone he met. Rarely was he ever seen without the Queen due to his severe anxiety and the mere fact that Yuuri was very much what we would call a mama’s boy.

No matter the encouragement, Mari seemed not to care nor try to care about the family’s reputation. She slacked in what little responsibilities she was given and held very little respect for anyone who wasn’t her treasured little brother. She rolled her eyes to her parents, scoffed at guests, and had an unfortunate tendency of insulting the servants. It was as though any lessons given to the Princess by tutors went in one ear and out the other. Her attitude could only be described as ice cold and she seemed to only thaw with the young Prince.

In an attempt to enforce proper manners on their daughter, the King and Queen sent Princess Mari as an ambassador to Thailand to help assist the Thai royalty as their Kingdom was in revolt. It was a mission that was to take several months, up to two years at most, and the Princess dreaded being away from her little brother for so long. It was a tearful goodbye between the two children, but the eighteen-year-old wished her eleven-year-old sibling the best of luck until her return.

Escorted by Royal Adviser Minako Okukawa, the Princess departed on the mission only to arrive to a war savaged country. The royal daughter’s stay was short lived as she was quickly sent on the return journey by the Thai King and Queen. With Mari, the royal Chulanont’s sent their only son, Prince Phichit, to protect him from attempts on his life. Accompanied by the young boy, the ship set sail towards Japan.

Midway through their sea voyage, the Japanese vessel encountered stormy weather that proved to be problematic. The boat rocked from side to side violently for many days and Princess Mari could often be found at the helm of the ship cursing whichever God that had sent them such foul conditions with words that impressed the gruffest of sailors. In answer to the royal’s utter profanities, Susanoo-no-Mikoto decided to test the Princess.

Disguised as a child cast-away, the Shinto God of the sea and storms wandered up to the royal girl and asked for some warm food and clothing. Upon taking in the sight of the dirty and torn state of the boy and his clothing, Mari immediately classified the boy as an illegal passenger and refused to accommodate for the God in disguise. To the Princess’ horror, the child shifted into the God right before her eyes and said, “I have judged you, Princess Mari Katsuki of Hasetsu, to be unworthy to live due to your ice cold exterior.” The Shinto God Susanoo-no-Mikoto’s voice boomed as the sailors came out from their cabins to bear witness to the royal’s downfall. “Never shall you return home and neither shall this ship.”

“Take what you would like from me,” the Princess bravely called out to the God of sea storms. “I care not what you do to me or my men. Do your worst!” These comments only further worsened the God’s temper.

“Care you not what I do to you? Let us see what your beloved brother will think of that.” Mari realized too late her mistake as her eyes widened in horror. Susanoo-no-Mikoto spied the young Phichit from behind Minako’s legs and beckoned him forwards. “When this innocent shall arrive to Japan with your Royal Advisor, Prince Yuuri Katsuki of Hasetsu shall be cursed with the cold exterior that your heart carries.”

With a wave of a hand, Prince Phichit Chulanont found himself aboard a lifeboat with Advisor Okukawa. The Japanese vessel, its crew, and Princess Mari were nowhere to be seen. The weather seemed to clear instantaneously after that and for five days, the two survivors drifted at sea before washing ashore in the territories of Hasetsu.

As promised, the moment the Thai Prince set foot upon the sandy coast of Japan, a tremendous shiver ran through the Japanese Prince miles away. To Yuuri and his parents’ horror, the bowl of miso soup that the royal son held clasped between his hands froze solid. The young Prince stumbled back in surprise and as he caught himself on the table behind him, frost spread from where he gripped the table.

A chill fell over the Prince and they understood nothing of it as they put him to bed-rest with the thickest sheets they could find in attempt to keep him warm. The Royal Physician suffered frostbite injuries to his hands whenever he physically touched the young boy’s skin. Answers only arrived with Minako as she returned to the castle with the young Prince Chulanont and they recounted the story.

Word of what happened to Princess Mari spread like wildfire throughout the kingdom. News of Prince Yuuri’s curse was, however, shared with only a few trusted people. Though they did not upright lock the royal Katsuki son away, contact with the son was limited and rarely was he allowed far from Hasetsu Castle. Many physicians came from far and wide only to be stumped by the oddity of the Prince’s situation.

Yuuri suffered greatly from the loss of his sister. Between his grief and his strange condition, the Prince’s appearance altered to suit the isolation that he now lived in. His lips, ears, fingers, and toes all held a blue tinge that never seemed to go away. His skin had paled and never seemed to regain the warmth that it once held. Even his hair, though it’s colour changed not, had a rigidness to it as though it frozen solid in whichever manner the Prince had styled it in.

Everyone, without exception, had to be careful around the royal Katsuki son. Yuuri himself limited physical contact with people after severely marring Prince Phichit’s hands with frostbite after only mere seconds of friendly handholding. Gone was the boy who was once said to have the Hasetsu Hot Springs run in his blood. In his place cowered a boy who feared physical contact in fear of harming others.

The Japanese Prince distanced himself and grew up living a lonely life. The warmth was sucked out of whichever room he entered and a cold mist seemed to trail behind him wherever he went. Even the steamiest Hasetsu Hot Springs seemed to be no match for the bone-deep chill that Yuuri’s body carried with him. Though not disrespectful, the Royal son put up an ice-cold front that very few got past.

The Thai Prince, Phichit Chulanont, felt an irrational responsibility for what had happened at sea to Yuuri’s sister and it was only thanks to his endless persistence that he came to be the Japanese Prince’s closest friend. In turn, the youngest Katsuki felt terrible guilt for the permanent scarring of Phichit’s hands, though the Thai royal brushed it off as karma.

Despite Chulanont being Katsuki’s only friend, Katsuki was not Chulanont’s only friend. The Thai Prince had made many friendships with the Hasetsu Castle staff such as the kitchen worker Seung Gil Lee, the laundry folder Guang-Hong Ji, and the Court’s Bard Leo de la Iglesia. It was not to say that others did not attempt to pursue friendships with Yuuri. In fact, one of the Court’s dancers, Kenjirou Minami, often tried to befriend the Prince, but nothing he did could thaw the cold defence Yuuri had in place.

Over the years, Prince Katsuki spent hours pouring over legends and tales in unsuccessful attempts to learn how to break his curse. As he grew older, Yuuri’s hope of coming up with a solution to his ice powers dwindled. Lost was the dream of at least controlling his abilities and a depressed acceptance took its place. Even Phichit struggled to put a smile on his long-time friend’s place.

News of the curse was never made public, however, news of the Prince’s loneliness and melancholy spread across the continents. How had the son of such blessed and generous rulers grown to be so sad? It was a question that many wanted an answer for but never received. When the son of King Toshiya and Queen Hiroko came of age, Kingdoms from far and wide began sending heirs to court the Prince and all were turned away politely.

Prince Yuuri Katsuki wished not the solitude of his cold exterior upon anyone, therefore he submerged himself in a life of solitude that he suffered alone. He did not wish his pain on anyone and blamed no one for how he was. He figured that if he didn’t touch anyone, he couldn’t harm anyone.

Though in that process, he forgot to get himself that companionship that he desired for everyone else and left himself vulnerable to the claws of loneliness.


	2. II

“Rumour has it he’s cursed.”

Prince Viktor Nikiforov sighed dramatically as the Swiss royal, Christophe Giacometti, once again brought the conversation topic into a full loop. Two months it had been since the duo left the renown city of Saint Petersburg and the younger nomad seemed to always find a way to gossip about the Japanese heir to the throne of the reputed Hasetsu.

Three months ago, Viktor had expressed to his father that he lacked the will and passion to one day rule the great nation of Russia. He simply wanted something more personal than the love of a nation towards him, perhaps the love of a lover. Much to everyone’s shock, the King had been accepting and understanding of his son’s decision and elected his very emotional nephew, Prince Georgi Popovich, as new heir and liberated Viktor from his royal duties.

The silver haired Russian royal had been given very few tasks and conditions before he was to be completely freed from his royal family ties. His mother, the Queen, allowed for him to keep his title as well as to leave the country and travel where he pleased on the condition that he had a friend at his side, hence Chris’ company. The Swiss was not the worse companion, though he did cause trouble here and there for the two of them.

They had only just managed to escape the vengeful claws of Michele Crispino after the Swiss royal had taken the Italian Prince’s sister, Princess Sara, to bed. The sexual nomad had a terrible habit of bedding many people throughout their travels and once he set his claws in someone, rarely did he let them get away without one erotic encounter. Despite Chris’ sexual prowess, the blame did partially fall on the possessiveness that the Italian Prince held over his family, Sara Crispino in particular.

Unfortunately, this incident had occurred before Prince Viktor had delivered his brother to Kazakhstan. Thanks to Chris and his endless sexual drive, the two of them had to suffer through Prince Yuri’s constant complaining of how they had nearly been killed. Not once did he let his elders live down the incident nor had he shut up about it until his arrival to his betrothed, Prince Otabek Altin, soon to be the new King of Kazakhstan.

The memory of Prince Yuri learning of his engagement had been one that will forever be imprinted in his memory. Never had Viktor seen such a tantrum. The royal son had kicked, clawed, and screamed his way around the castle after the King had announced the engagement. Anger all but radiated from Prince Yuri until the Royal Advisor, Yakov Feltsman, had decided he had enough of the young royal’s attitude. He left books on Kazakhstan to educate Yuri outside of his room.

Armed then with newfound knowledge of where was soon to be his new home, Prince Yuri had come around slowly to accepting his marriage. It helped very much that the national animal of Kazakhstan was a personal favourite of the Prince’s, a snow leopard, and that the legends surrounding Otabek and his swordsmanship were rather impressive. Viktor’s brother had been in awe of the Kazakh, though he would likely never admit to it.

Once Prince Yuri had arrived to his betrothed, Prince Viktor Nikiforov and his royal companion had continued onwards with their journey to explore Asia. This brings things back to where we began, on horseback as they rode through China to reach a vessel that would carry the two nomads to Japan where they were to deliver a peace offering to the beloved royal Katsuki’s.

“That sounds like a load of nonsense to me,” Viktor scowled at Chris as they discussed what seemed to be the Swiss’ favourite subject. “What reasons would a God or Goddess have to curse a family that is known for their generosity and kindness? It makes no sense.” The Russian dug his heels into his horse’s sides urging him to go faster; Makkachin should be rewarded soon for having served him so well on their journey.

“But it is possible,” Chris argued back passionately. “After all, isn’t it mysterious that the Princess known for her heart of stone disappeared at sea all those years ago?”

Viktor recalled that though the younger Prince had been known for his warmth, his sister had been recognized for the opposite. “What ever happened to her and why did only the Thai Prince and Royal Advisor survive out of a ship of fifty strong and able men?” The Russian Royal pondered the mystery for a moment.

“Storms are to be expected at sea,” Viktor reminded his friend. “Prince Phichit was probably made a priority to save because he is royalty and they needed someone the royal family trusted to be with him.”

“But the ship’s wreckage was never found!”

“Many vessels are never recovered!”

“But why don’t we see the Prince anymore?” The Swiss made a valiant point: why didn’t they ever hear of the Japanese Yuuri? Viktor remembered hearing of the child’s kindness and warm personality in his late teens but hadn’t heard anything recently. How long had it been? Five years? Six? Probably longer, Viktor never kept track of these sorts of things. “It’s like he suddenly disappeared.”

“Maybe he’s going through his rebellious teenaged years. Heaven knows that my brother did.” The two laughed at the thought of Viktor’s brother and his temper tantrums which included locking himself in his room for hours on end.

“But the Japanese Prince will be turning twenty this year. That’s a bit late for teenage rebellion, isn’t it? And wouldn’t it have ended a few years ago? Eight years is much too long for that sort of streak.” The Russian Prince cursed Chris and his logic; his conspiracy theories were starting to sound believable the more they talked about it.

“Then what do you suppose happened to him?” Viktor challenged Chris. “If you think that something really happened, what is your hypothesis?” Upon the dare, the Swiss had a sparkle in his eyes as if he had been waiting for the Russian to ask him this all along. After a moment of thought, he began.

“I think that there is some sort of curse on the Prince.” Viktor scoffed at the idea but shut up once Chris shot him a glare. “I believe that the Prince is cursed,” he repeated, “and that it had something to do with what happened at sea with Prince Phichit and Princess Mari.”

“Are you being serious right now?” Viktor asked before he could stop himself.

“Shut up, you were the one who wanted to hear what I think happened.” The Russian Prince quieted at his friend’s reminder. “As I was saying, Prince Yuuri has fallen victim to a tragic curse that can only be cured by true love’s kiss.” Chris leaned forward dreamily and laid his head on his horse. Viktor couldn’t hold back his laughter this time.

“You’re such a dreamer!” The Russian Prince chuckled as he wiped away tears from his eyes. The Swiss royal had lost the enchanted look in his eyes and was regarding his friend with one of his rare, though intimidating, unimpressed looks. “Have you ever actually heard of real life fairy tales before? I don’t think they actually happen.”

“Fine, be that way,” Chris said, rolling his eyes and resuming his upright position on his mare. “There’s no harm in believing in magic.” His eyes drifted away from Viktor’s and towards the horizon. “We should set up camp soon, it’s getting late.” Viktor realized that the sun had indeed dipped low in the sky, but in the distance, he could see the ocean. It wouldn’t be long before they made it to the edge of the continent.

The two nomads rode half an hour longer before agreeing on a suitable campsite. Viktor searched through some of the saddles to find what little food they had left while Chris started setting up their hammocks between sturdy trees. The royals were lucky that the hot summer weather allowed for them to sleep in the open at night while keeping the bugs away. Finally, the site was set up and the men sat around a fire.

“I’m sorry if I offended you earlier,” Viktor said after eating half of his pirozhki. Chris looked up and studied his friend for a moment from across the fire. The sun had set and the dark sky was illuminated by the brilliant glow of the moon and the stars. He waited to finish chewing before offering a reply.

“None taken,” he shrugged. “I know how different our parents were. Yours were more realistic and you grew up on cold hard facts. Mine raised me on magic.” The Russian hummed in agreement and the Swiss continued, “For you, seeing is believing but for me, I grew up believing even if there was nothing to see.”

“Yeah,” Viktor laughed lightly, “I was read World History books for bedtime while you got fairy tales.” The Swiss royal offered a small smile, tilting his head slightly as he asked another question.

“Just out of curiosity, what is your personal opinion, or thoughts, or whatever you want to call it, as to what has happened to Prince Yuuri Katsuki?” Viktor should not have been as surprised as he was at the moment when Chris once again brought their conversation back to the Japanese royal.

“I’m not sure,” the Russian Prince finally said, the orange glow from the fire gave him a sombre expression. “But I feel like he is probably lonely. I always remembered hearing about the happy Hasetsu Prince but then any word of him dried up faster than a drop of water in the Sahara.” He looked up and saw that Chris was very much intrigued by his answer. “To be quiet for so long that rumours make their way to all corners of the earth. It sounds…”

“…lonely,” the Swiss Royal finished for him. The realization sunk in that though they shared not the same beliefs, they both shared what they thought the Japanese Prince must be feeling. “I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, not even Mickey Crispino.”

“Nor would I,” Viktor agreed quietly. He already thought that growing up a Prince was difficult enough, especially when it came to making friends. What was it with the royal Yuuri Katsuki that had pushed him to such isolation? “Let’s go sleep,” he finally decided. “We still have some ways to go tomorrow but we should reach the docks by evening.”

Chris bid Viktor a goodnight and set off to his hammock while the Russian Prince led the horses to the nearby stream to let them drink before tying them back up. Viktor cursed Chris for having brought up Yuuri again as he was now stuck in his mind. Setting up Makkachin and the Swiss’ steed near enough to the campsite, the Prince fed them each their hay before retiring for the night.

**~*~**

Much earlier than the royal Russian Prince had predicted, the two nomads arrived to the Chinese coast at noon. This was thanks to a passage that Chris had discovered through a hidden valley. Upon arrival, the royals first checked in with a local sea captain and ensured their places aboard a ship scheduled to depart for the Hasetsu docks in the late afternoon.

The second part of their day was spent restocking their supplies, that had been running low, in the Shanghai marketplace. This included fruit, baked goods, as well as foods that would last longer without going stale or rotting. Upon Viktor’s insistence, they might have also splurged a little when purchasing goods for their steeds. Makkachin had served the Prince well and deserved a little pampering.

By dinnertime, they had boarded the vessel and were well on their way to Hasetsu, Japan. The captain of the ship had assured them that the journey would last roughly three days and that they could see the doctor onboard should they feel ill. After setting up their belongings in their cabin, the men watched the sunset from the bow.

“Quite the view,” Chris whistled to Viktor who was leaning on the guardrail. “I still can’t get over the fact that we’ve traveled as far as we have.” The Swiss was within reason to make such a comment. They had travelled an impressive distance in an even more impressive amount of time. It had really worn them down but it was well worth it.

“It’s made me feel more alive than I ever felt in Saint Petersburg,” confessed Viktor reluctantly. “I know the schedule was somewhat repetitive doing the same thing over and over again but we were somewhere different everyday. And each day has been breathtaking.”

“This is probably the longest part of our journey.” The Russian Prince sent an inquiring look over to his travel companion who quickly elaborated. “We’ve been moving great distances for a long time, all we can do aboard this ship is wait until we get there.”

“Face it,” Viktor said teasingly, “you just can’t wait to find out which rumour out of the many is true about Prince Katsuki.”

“You’ve got me,” Chris laughed putting his hands up in mock defeat. “In all honesty, I am very curious.” The Russian royal couldn’t deny the fact that he was, too. The Swiss leant over the guardrail next to Viktor with a goofy grin on his face. “But I also desire very much to see if the Hasetsu Hot Springs live up to my very high expectations.”

Chris retired to their shared cabin much before Viktor did, claiming tiredness, but the Russian royal suspected that he may just be on the prowl to satisfy his sexual needs. Sighing, the Prince lifted his eyes to the stars. What was he to expect in Japan? In fact, what was he to expect in his future in general? He stayed at the front of the ship watching the night and listening to the soft sounds of the waves lapping at the hull until the first rays of the dawn appeared.

Prince Viktor decided he could afford to sleep the day away, it wasn’t as though he had anything to do aboard the ship anyway. He returned to the cabin to find Chris snoring in his bed. Chuckling at the sight of drool dribbling out of the royal Swiss’ mouth, the Russian climbed into the bed above his companion. Closing his eyes, the silver haired man allowed the gentle rocking of the boat to lull him to sleep.


	3. III

Prince Yuuri’s breath escaped from his mouth in puffs of small white clouds. In the warm September heat, the cold air from his lungs gave the same reaction as a warm breath in the cold months of winter would. He watched the clouds spiral up slowly into the sky, almost as if they were dancing for him before eventually disappearing. He shivered despite the warmth of the sun.

He was on the uneven forest pathway that led east from the village and would lead him to the privacy of his pond. It was nothing remarkable when the Japanese Prince wasn’t there, just a regular pool of clear water, however when the royal set foot on the surface, it would transform into the perfect little ice rink suitable for skating. The Katsuki Prince enjoyed the peacefulness and tranquility of the location; it was much more quiet than the constant and never ending chatter of Hasetsu Castle.

He walked in silence, appreciating the mere fact that no one had joined him. It felt like his parents, the King Toshiya and Queen Hiroko of Hasetsu, were always fussing over his wellbeing. Especially nowadays as he was coming of age. Sometimes he wondered what their plans for his future were. Would they try to find him a spouse? He was the only heir left after his sister had perished and it would be up to him to continue the family line seeing as he had no cousins or relatives to take over once his parents died.

The Japanese Prince felt bad for that. Though it had been particularly hard on him to lose his sister and be cursed within the short timeframe, this had also majorly impacted the lives of the King and Queen. They too had lost a daughter and though the curse did not affect them directly, they still had to cover up for Yuuri’s continuous absences. They were trying their best to support him, but that was hard to do when there seemed to be no permanent solution. He felt more like a burden to them than he did a son.

Finally, he arrived to the clearing. The leafy coverage above the pond gave him shelter from the sun. It wasn’t the heat of it’s rays that bothered him (not that they could if they wanted to), but rather the glare it created on the ice that would irritate his eyes. The Japanese royal wandered over to the large maple tree, removed his glasses and reached into it’s hollowed out trunk. When his hand re-emerged, he no longer held his glasses, but a pair of black ice skates that had been generously gifted to him by his parents for his sixteenth birthday.

The figure skates matched his clothing today. His pants were charcoal black and fitted him almost as well as a pair of leggings would Court Advisor Minako. The Prince’s dark shirt was made from a thick material that retained heat. The sleeves enveloped his arms all the way down to his wrists while the bottom of the top flared out lightly. The collar of the shirt ran up his throat and almost tickled Yuuri’s chin but he was thankful nonetheless that it covered as much of his skin as possible. Despite the summer heat being at it’s peak, the Katsuki royal also wore his thick velvet cape that flared out behind him when he moved at a brisk pace.

He sat on the soft moss and replaced his boots with the sleek figure skates before crawling over to the pond so not to damage his blades. He untied his cape and dropped it to the ground. Finally, he removed his gloves and moved as close as he could to the edge of the pond. Concentrating carefully, he kneeled, placing his hand slowly on the water’s surface and watched as the ice spread outwards from his touch. The frost raced around, twirling and snaking away, until the entire area was frozen over. Though it was a beautiful sight to behold, it still made Yuuri sad to see that the curse had not weakened the slightest since it was placed upon him.

Sighing, he rose to his feet and stepped onto the icy surface. The Prince started by skating slow, leisurely laps around the pond. He lifted his left foot, extending all the way down to his pointed toes, before crossing them over his right foot in elegantly executed crosscuts. He then did a few rounds backwards followed by changing the direction from clockwise to counter-clockwise. Finally, he started to pick up the pace and raced, going faster and faster allowing the world around him to blur. He closed his eyes and stretched his arms out, feeling the wind whip between his fingers.

Prince Katsuki opened his eyes and brought to memory the song that the court’s Bard, Leo de la Iglesia, had performed at King Toshiya’s birthday last month. It had been titled, ‘On Love: Eros’, and had been a piece filled with a passion that reminded Yuuri of the heat he felt as a child. The royal son had been experimenting with jumps, spins, and difficult positions since he had first set foot on the ice surface and wondered if he could use those to express the trace of warmth he felt upon hearing the composition.

Moving to the middle of the pond, he halted himself with a T-stop. He swung his arms around himself, flowing to the beginning of the song. He pushed himself back with a few simple steps before digging his toe pick in the ice and looking up, taking in everything around him. The Japanese heir felt tempted to continue, the first simple movements felt completely right to him. With renewed energy, he pushed himself into turns, twizzles, and edges using his arms to give himself momentum as well as to hit poses. Turning both his skates to an inside edge, he glided momentarily in a graceful spread eagle. 

Thinking of the music once again, Prince Yuuri allowed his instincts to guide the muscles in his left leg to push himself, pivoting onto his right foot as he spiraled into a beautiful back camel spin. The extension of his arms did not feel quite right as they normally did. Closing his eyes, the thought of how the music sounded had him bringing his hands into the center of his back. Feeling as though his elbows were awkwardly jutting out, he pushed his clasped hands down even further down his back to straighten his arms.

When he finally showed signs of slowing, he lowered his left leg and brought himself to a halt. Only as he stood panting did he realize how much energy he had spent into attempting such a performance. There was still much of the song left, but he felt elevated with how right it felt using his rehearsed movements to dance to the music on ice. The Japanese royal would have to request the Court Bard to play the song once again for him. His mood dipped however when he brought his gaze to his hands where his fingers were still tinged blue. Not even a little warmth to his skin.

“Prince Yuuri! That was beautiful!” The Japanese heir jumped at the sound of the gleeful voice and the applause that accompanied it. The royal quickly masked his vulnerability with an expression of indifference as he spied out a rather persistently annoying court dancer, Kenjirou Minami, standing at the edge of the clearing. The boy, not much younger than Yuuri himself, was only recognizable in the Prince’s blurry vision due to the red streak in his hair. “It was like you were dancing, but it was so much cooler!” Minami exclaimed.

“What are you doing here?” Yuuri asked, choosing to ignore the praise from the teenager. “You know that no one is welcome to my private clearing. What reason do you have for disturbing me?” Though the tone was kept polite, there was no doubt that the Japanese royal was indeed irritated. The Hasetsu Castle staff knew that not even the King or Queen themselves were permitted to join their son when he required his privacy outside of the palace.

“The way you moved!” The dancer practically moaned. “I wish I could move like that. Just you wait! One day I’ll be able to dance just as well as you can skate!” Kenjirou looked like he was melting with admiration. Yuuri stepped off the ice and took to untying his skates to take them off his eternally chilled feet as quickly as he could. As soon as he stepped off the pond, it was as if the cold followed him and the water thawed immediately. The manner in which Minami stared open-mouthed at the rapidly melting ice made the Prince extremely uncomfortable.

“Minami,” the Prince said sharply, his patience running thin. He lifted his cape from the ground and pushed the hood above his head. “Why are you here?”

“Oh yes!” The Court dancer finally realized that he had drifted away from the explanation as to his presence. “King Toshiya and Queen Hiroko demand your presence immediately. They wish to discuss the arrival of guests to the Court.” Sighing, the Japanese heir returned his skating blades to his hollowed-out maple trunk whilst replacing his glasses on his face. He had hardly been at the pond for a reasonable amount of time before he had been summoned. It both frustrated and worried him. It wasn’t like they had not had guests before, what was so different this time that the rulers had to discuss it with their son?

“Run ahead and tell them that I’ll be there shortly,” Yuuri ordered as soon as he could once again make out the teenager in detail. Minami wore a wide grin which revealed his one pointy canine and his eyes sparkled with admiration. “Thank you, you are dismissed.”

“Thank you, Prince Yuuri!” the dancer all but shouted as he bowed quickly and lowly to the royal before he took off in a mad dash.

Sliding his black gloves back on his hands, the Prince started his walk to return to the castle. The Japanese heir couldn’t understand why Minami made so many persistent attempts to approach him. It seemed as though the youth didn’t recognize his desire for keeping everyone back at a safe distance and feared not the consequences that would happen if Yuuri were to slip up even a little bit.

The youngest Katsuki took off at a run once the tree roots and uneven grounds changed to the pebbled pathway that he grew up running around on. He wasn’t far from the castle now. He could see the steam rising from the Hot Springs on either side of him, a sign of how near he was. His cape flaring out dramatically behind him as he ran, Yuuri could feel the gazes of some of the Hasetsu and foreign Hot Spring visitors eyeing him. They were probably judging him and the way he dragged his family down, even if they only knew of his silence and not of his curse.

A cry caught his attention as he approached the gates. Prince Katsuki spotted two unhealthily thin children bickering over a morsel of what looked like moldy bread. His stomach twisted at the thought of being so deprived of nutrition to be fighting over what should be eaten only as a last resort. The royal son stopped three feet before them and crouched to their level. The arguing ceased as the young boys stared at him in astonishment, even in the friendliest of Kingdoms was it rare for someone of royal heritage stop to address their citizens.

Prince Yuuri fished into the pockets of his cloak and pulled out the few coins he carried with him. After having made sure that they were indeed all he had, he rolled them over to the children with what he hoped was a soft smile.

“Go get yourself some fresh food from the market,” he told them gently as they gaped open mouthed at him, almost as if he had somehow grown another head instead of simply giving them money. “If you’re ever in trouble again, go to the Nishigori’s stall and ask for Yuko. Tell her that Prince Yuuri told you to go to her for help.” With that said, the royal son rose to his feet and continued to the castle.

“Prince Yuuri!” The Royal peered towards where the voice he recognized as his nearest friend’s, Prince Phichit Chulanont, had called out to him. Sure enough, the Thai Royal was quickly running towards him from across the courtyard with his famed smile which could be seen from miles away. He was garbed in his favourite red and gold suit that was made authentically in his country of birth.

After arriving in Japan all those years ago, Phichit had taken to Yuuri’s side and stuck with him despite the elder’s attempts at staying away. King Toshiya and Queen Hiroko had never received word from the Thai royals after years of silence and feared the worst for their young guest’s parents. Though Prince Phichit appeared unbothered, Yuuri could sense a restless desire in his friend to learn what had happened to his family. The Katsuki’s had accepted the Chulanont as family and he grew up with the same privileges as any other royal would have in their home.

“Your parents are looking for you.” Phichit grinned as he bowed in greeting, a gesture which Yuuri returned with his own smile.

“Yeah, Minami told me,” the Japanese heir answered as he clasped his hands in front of him. “He actually interrupted my skating session at my pond to do so.”

“He saw you skate?” the Thai royal asked in shock to which Yuuri nodded. “No fair! I’ve been wanting to watch you for years and not once have you let me!”

“Well I didn’t let him.” The heir shrugged uncomfortably; he hadn’t seen Minami until it had been too late. “He just sort of snuck up on me and I couldn’t tell because my glasses were off. I’ll let you come next time to make it up to you.” Yuuri laughed as Phichit fist pumped the air in success. “Where are my parents waiting?”

“In the Throne room.” If it was even remotely possible, the Thai Prince seemed to be in an even better mood than before. Rarely did anyone ever see his friend in a foul mood. “You shouldn’t keep them waiting, off you go!”

Yuuri thanked Phichit before heading off again to see his parents. As he crossed the courtyard, the Prince also spotted the Court Bard, Leo, as well as one of the launderers, Guang Hong, lounging in the sun by a fountain. The Bard offered up a small wave and the younger appeared to be napping on de la Iglesia’s lap. The Japanese Royal nodded to him before pushing open a door that led to the Throne room.

King Toshiya occupied the larger throne centered on the wall opposite of Yuuri’s entrance. The Prince could see his mother sitting in the decorated chair to the left of his father. The room, though grand, was not over the top considering the wealth his family possessed. This was probably why his family’s Kingdom was considered one of the more peasant friendly one’s in the entire world.

“Yuuri,” Queen Hiroko greeted with her familiar warm smile. She grasped her husband’s hand in her own and she beckoned for her son to approach. Yuuri accepted the invitation as he strolled up to the thrones and sat on the steps before his parents. “We’re sorry to bother your skating session.”

“No bother.” That was a lie, but the Prince wished not for his parents to feel bad for interrupting him. He had interrupted their lives first with his curse after all. “Minami told me that you wished to discuss the subject of guests?”

“Straight to the point per usual,” Yuuri’s father chuckled. “That is precisely why we have called you here. As you know, we usually only accommodate one royal guest at a time.” The youngest Katsuki hummed in agreement, having more than one risked the visitors being at each other’s throats. “We, however, will be having three sometime in the next week.”

“Three?” Yuuri couldn’t help but ask. Royal visitors had a set fondness for asking him uncomfortable questions concerning his behaviour as well. The King and Queen usually limited their invites for that reason as well. “Why would we be accommodating three at once?”

“Normally, we would not do so,” his mother answered. “But they are three that have gotten on well in the past. In fact, two are travelling here together.” The Prince still didn’t understand why the royal guests all had to be here at once; that was simply too many people for Yuuri to be on guard for.

“Prince Nikiforov of Russia and Prince Giacometti of Switzerland have been travelling for months together and are on a voyage across the sea as we speak. They’ll be arriving soon,” Toshiya informed. “King Leroy is making his way on horseback from Tokyo and will be here shortly after. We thought it fair to warn you because of, well the… You know, the-”

“-curse,” the Prince finished coldly. Even after all these years, his parents were still uncomfortable discussing the topic of his curse with him. It was a subject that they avoided like the plague. Yuuri felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. “I understand, but why are they coming all at once?”

“We’ve been expecting King Jean-Jacques for months seeing as it is from Canada that he is coming and made the arrangements with time to spare,” his father explained after clearing his voice. “Viktor and Chris had been depending on their travel schedule, they have been travelling through Europe and Asia for months now and we only just heard that they are only hours away at most.”

“We insist on telling you so that you know what is happening and not being blindly led into the situation,” his mother informed him with a gentle tone. “We know how you get when there are lots of people about.”

“You mean how my curse gets,” Yuuri spat bitterly as his mood quickly soured. Though it was not said, he knew that his parents did not completely trust their son when it came down to his situation. “I hear you loud and clear. I’ll make myself scarce.”

“Yuuri, that’s not what we meant,” King Toshiya tried to backtrack on the situation, but the Prince had already gotten the wrong impression as he stood and turned, his cloak whipping behind him as he stormed towards the door. The room’s temperature dropped a few degrees and frost bloomed from each step Yuuri took. The royal rulers saddened at how cold their son had grown to be, his spirit seemed to be succumbing to the curse and they worried about his health if he were to become too closed off.

As Prince Katsuki approached his room, his resentment faded into regret. He always seemed to somehow  manage to find a new way to disappoint his parents no matter how hard he tried not to. He entered his chambers and shut the doors behind him before leaning back against them. Groaning, he lowered his head in his hands as he slid down to the floor. A cold feeling rushed through him as he commenced shivering more than he had in years.

Teeth chattering, he pulled his cloak in tightly around him. He wanted to cry, he had never snapped at his parents so harshly before. The Japanese royal knew that they were only trying to do what was best for him. Maybe the curse placed on him was one that was well deserved. He shut his eyes as he trembled, wishing he could have been a better son for them and hoped that one day he could be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided that I'll be posting chapters every five days or so until exam season hits. (For an Ontario student, that is mid-January) I'm trying to write as many chapters as I can so that there will not be any lack in uploads. 
> 
> À la prochaine!  
> IceSensei


	4. IV

Legends and rumours alike are known for being very well over exaggerated. This, however, was not the case when it came to Hasetsu.

As Prince Nikiforov and Prince Giacometti caught sight of the world-famed Kingdom from the bow of the vessel, they were astounded by the sheer beauty found in its modesty. As they drew nearer, the royals were able to tell that Japan’s adored Katsuki family did not splurge on lavish structures. The buildings had a simplicity that somehow managed to make them appear both magnificent and welcoming to locals and guests alike.

Viktor’s eyes took to the sky as their ship darkened beneath the shadow of a bridge. Light reflecting from the water shimmered on the underside of the structure and the Russian was in awe. He couldn’t help but wish that Saint Petersburg had been like this seaside Kingdom. Perhaps then he would have wanted to stay at home instead of seeking the beauty of the world elsewhere. His excitement only grew as the boat docked and the gangplank was set up.

Chris took the lead as they disembarked. Solid land felt awkward and almost too stiff beneath their feet when compared to the constant rocking of the vessel they had been on for a few days. Prince Nikiforov’s eyes glanced past the people gathering around to take a look at the foreign royalty and at the Japanese marketplace instead. There seemed to be an endless number of stalls that sold varieties of rice, fish, pastries, and the list could continue on for days. The smell of the location itself was warm, incredible and very inviting; Viktor couldn’t wait to start exploring this small corner of the world.

“Excuse me! Out of my way please!” The Russian royal couldn’t help but snicker as he watched members of the crowd surrounding him and Chris be jostled about as someone, an individual too short to see among the taller mass of people, tried to push their way to the front. “Royal Prince Chulanont coming through! Make way for me, please!” That appeared to catch the attention on the public as people finally dispersed enough for a young man garbed in red royal robes to appear before the Swiss and Russian royalty.

The man leaned forwards with his hands on his knees, panting heavily in laboured breathing as though he had run to the harbour. Though short in stature, he gave Viktor the impression of being old enough to take a position of responsibility should it be required of him. His red robes were decorated with golden threading that reinforced the claim of being of nobility that had gotten him through the crowd but also appeared to be foreign from Japan. The Russian Prince only felt more sure of that as the boy’s skin was darker than any other person in the crowds surrounding them. Gathering himself, the man stood up with a large welcoming smile.

“Greetings!” the boy said as he extended his arms outwards. “Welcome Prince Nikiforov and Prince Giacometti to the Kingdom of Hasetsu! We’ve been expecting you! I am the Thai ambassador, Prince Phichit Chulanont.” Viktor and Chris both accepted the young ambassador’s offered handshake. Though the foreigners both felt the rough and scarred conditions of Phichit’s hands, they made no comment of it. The Russian could vaguely remember hearing something related to the Thai Kingdom years back, but he could not recall what exactly it was. “I must apologize for my late greeting, I was only told minutes ago of your arrival.”

“I assure you that it was no problem,” Viktor said with a polite smile. “We haven’t been waiting long at all. In fact, I was hoping to perhaps get the opportunity to wander about the delightful market you have here,” the Russian admitted truthfully.

“That can wait though,” Chris chuckled at his travelling companion. “I’m sure the Royal Katsuki family is eagerly awaiting our arrival to the Castle.”

“And indeed, they are!” Phichit laughed and Viktor could have sworn that he had never met someone who was so positive and enthusiastic. Perhaps he should acquaint the Thai Prince with his brother; Yuri could sure take a page or two from his book. “King Toshiya and Queen Hiroko have been preparing the Castle for your visitation since they have heard of your approach.”

“Then let’s not keep them waiting,” the Russian Prince said, smirking at Chris who was undeniably excited to see the Japanese heir. Maybe then he could finally put the subject to rest and rid himself of the childish ideas of curses.

“Right this way your Majesties.” The tanned boy led the foreign Royalty to a beautiful, traditional Japanese carriage. Despite not wanting to turn down the elegant ride, Viktor’s legs groaned in protest at the thought of limiting his movements for even another second.

“I wish not to offend the Royal Katsuki family and their generosity by turning down this offer,” the Russian spoke up awkwardly as a guard held a door open. “But I feel like I need to stretch my legs before I can be cooped up aboard a vehicle once again.”

“I understand, your Majesty.” The Thai Prince looked uncertain for a second. “We could walk to the Castle, but that is a good half hour walk, perhaps even longer given the crowds that are gathering.” The men hadn’t failed to notice the mass of people surrounding them growing bigger the longer they idled. “But we wish only to ensure your safety as well and the carriage is our best option.”

“Given the distances we’ve covered in the past few months, walking from the Harbour to the Castle is nothing,” the Swiss Prince assured the escort. Chris probably also wanted nothing more than to get his legs used to being on solid ground again. “Besides, we might even be better off walking. I doubt even our steeds could make it through these busy streets.”

“I see, but it is more your safety that has us concerned,” Phichit objected politely. “We cannot guarantee that nothing will happen to your wellbeing if you are so exposed.”

“Then provide us weapons,” Viktor suggested. They would have been fine with their own, but their blades had been dulled by their constant usage over the months on the road. “Chris and I have been trained in swordsmanship since we were younglings. We are very capable of defending ourselves, especially if the guards are with us as well.” The Thai Prince seemed to be debating between following orders and satisfying the guests of honor before finally giving in to the royals.

“Very well,” he sighed, looking slightly displeased. “Fujiwara and Omiki,” he beckoned two of the younger guards forwards. “Please hand over your katanas to Prince Nikiforov and Prince Giacometti. We shall be walking them to the palace and they need to be armed.”

“Of course, your highness.” They bowed respectively as they handed their swords over to the visiting royals. “We are most honoured to have our weapons be of use to both of you.” Viktor eyed the sword and whistled. It was indeed very sharp and when he slashed it tentatively through the air, it felt quite light in his hand. A very suitable blade indeed. After assuring that their bags would be taken care of, Phichit continued.

“Follow me then.” Prince Chulanont dove into an alleyway between two nearby buildings so to avoid going through the crowd. When they emerged on the other side, they managed to make their way quietly up a less busy street. They could now spy the Hasetsu Castle as it sat on the top of a hill. It was very beautiful from afar with his grand height and the elegant cherry blossom trees surrounding it.

“More beautiful than I thought possible,” Chris admired in awe. “Hasetsu really is the place of legends.”

“I thought so too when I first arrived,” Phichit nodded in agreement as they crossed a cobblestone bridge over a small river. “I have yet to meet someone who would willingly deny its beauty.”

“Prince Chulanont, why do you live here instead of Thailand?” Viktor asked. Realizing how rude and blunt it sounded, he was quick to apologize. “I did not intend to sound so demanding with my question, what I meant was-”

“Please, call me Phichit,” the tanned boy smiled as he ignored the Russian’s attempt at an apology. “And I am not offended, it is very hard to offend me as you will be able to see in the near future. To answer your question, there was a revolt in my home country.” His optimistic expression clouded over with a seriousness that did not suit his youthful features. “My parents did not know who to trust so they sent me to Japan. I have not heard from them since.”

“We are very sorry to hear,” the Swiss said gently as he put a comforting hand on Phichit’s shoulder. “Perhaps you will one day be reunited.” The Thai Prince’s sombre smile said that he had given up on that hope a while back. “Do not feel obligated to answer my question, but what happened to your hands?” Phichit was startled and glanced down at his hands.

“Oh,” he laughed, his gloomy expression disappearing just as quickly as it had appeared on his face. “I always forget that people aren’t used to seeing how ugly my hands are.” He held them up for Viktor and Chris to see. They were indeed blotchy with uneven skin, some fingers even seemed to be permanently swollen at the joints.

“I wouldn’t go as far as to say ugly,” Viktor tried to object politely.

“No use in being polite here. I know that they’re ugly and I am very proud of the fact!” The foreign Princes shared looks of disbelief as the Thai ambassador admired his tarnished hands for a few seconds. “They’re like this because of frostbite. I know that you think that they’re not a pretty thing to look at, but they remind me of my first friend in this country.”

“Pardon me if I’m mistaken,” Viktor’s knowledge of Japanese weather was very limited as more time of his studies was placed into learning culture. He did, however, know that Hasetsu was much closer to the equator than Russia was. “But the weather here must rarely dip below freezing. How could you get frostbite? Especially with the Hot Springs around.”

“Let’s just say that I was young and foolish.” A dark gleam in Chulanont’s dark grey eyes warned the Princes from pursuing the topic further. “I was trying to hard to impress someone and it backfired slightly, but I do not regret it one bit.” They walked the rest of the way in silence until they arrived at the Hasetsu Castle gates. Numerous guards awaited them there and bowed as they entered the Courtyard.

“Do all the Japanese scout for so many recruitments?” Chris asked as they passed an incredibly large amount of uniformed officers who greeted them. They returned the katanas to the guards, Fujiwara and Omika, who had lent them. “There are just so many!”

“The Kastuki family does not waste money on recruiting guards, men volunteer themselves.” Phichit brought up as he led them past the defensive lines of the palace. “They are fortunate that so many people are dedicated to serving them and willingly put their lives at risk for them.” Finally, they came to a halt before two large oak doors that towered above them. “King Toshiya and Queen Hiroko await you inside these doors. I will have Royal Advisor Minako introduce you and someone will open the doors for you. I recommend tidying yourselves up a little.” With that said, he ran off.

“Friendly guy, isn’t he?” Chris remarked as he smoothed out his clothing. Viktor hummed in agreement; Phichit had really grown on him very much so in less than an hour. He doubted he had ever had the pleasure to have someone make such an impression on him. “What was up with his frostbite scars though? I could understand not wanting to address them, but he was so proud. It was only when we asked about how he got them that he became defensive.”

“It’s probably just personal,” Viktor shrugged off the behaviour quickly as he wiped dirt off of himself. “If I were in his place, I don’t think I would always want to be discussing how I got my scarred hands.” The foreign Princes turned towards the oak doors as they slowly started to open.

“Introducing the Royal Princes of Russia and Switzerland, Prince Nikiforov and Prince Giacometti!”

Chris and Viktor straightened themselves so as to appear taller and show their near perfect posture. They walked beside each other as they made their way down the practically empty throne room. Two figures were seated regally at the end of the room and Viktor was a little disappointed to note the absence of a Prince, though he would never admit so to Chris. The Russian and the Swiss nobles bowed as they reached a respectable distance from the King and Queen.

“Welcome.” The King greeted warmly. The Queen sat next to him and off to their right stood Prince Phichit next to the woman who must have announced their entry. “We hope that all has been well on your travels and that you have been in good health. We have been patiently awaiting your arrival for months. We cannot say what an honour it is to have both of you here.”

“The honour is all ours,” Chris said as he nodded politely to the famed rulers. “We have been looking forwards to meeting the famously generous Royal Katsuki family of Hasetsu.” Viktor fought to hide a snicker. This had been literally all the Swiss had been talking about for months, especially the Prince.

“We must apologise for our son’s absence,” Hiroko spoke up with a quiet confidence that came with the experience of ruling a Kingdom for several years. “Yuuri is currently occupied with other duties that he could not be pulled away from.” Out of the corner of his eye, Viktor could see Chris’ shoulders sag minimally. “He will be at the banquet tonight in your honour and we shall introduce you to him then.”

“We look forward very much to meeting the Crown Prince,” Viktor said with a smile, he could wait a few more hours to disprove of his travelling companion’s so-called ‘curse’ that was placed on Prince Yuuri.

“We have heard of the impressive distance that you have crossed together. You must be exhausted,” noted the King. “We have reserved some Hot Springs for you. We shall have our Royal Advisor Okukawa show you to your chambers and the-”

“Your Highnesses!”

A small side door to the right of the room swung open suddenly and a small boy with dirty blond hair with a small strip of red ran into the throne room with a frantic, panicked expression clearly visible in his wide brown eyes.

“Dancer Kenjirou!” scolded the Queen as her welcoming expression hardened slightly while still retaining its warmth. “We have guests!”

“It’s an emergency!” The child’s body seemed to shake before them. “Prince Yuuri is not well and I cannot find Doctor Celestino! He is cold, very cold!” Chris and Viktor watched as the Katsuki King and Queen exchanged brief looks of alarm before covering them up with masks of determination and jumping into action.

“Phichit.” The Thai Prince stepped forwards quickly. “Have Guang-Hong rush warm blankets and clothing to Yuuri’s room and then fetch Seung Gil and as many kitchen workers as we can spare to fill pots from the kitchen with hot spring water. Then please stay at my son’s side.” The King’s orders were understood very clearly and Phichit took off at a run to complete what was asked of him.

“Minami.” The boy who had interrupted straightened at the mention of his name from the Queen’s mouth. “Keep looking for Ciao Ciao, find a doctor in the village if he is still not to be found.” Still trembling slightly, he nodded before rushing out the door he entered from. “Minako, please show our guests to their quarters and then to the Hot Springs.”

“Of course, my Lady,” the woman who had been standing next to Phichit nodded steadily, but Viktor could see the shaken look in her eyes. She immediately made way past the Princes who had no choice but to follow her. Leaving the room, Viktor turned just in time to spot the Queen collapsing into the embrace of her husband as tears appeared at their eyes before the tall oak doors were shut.

“The Prince, is he alright?” Chris asked as the Royal Advisor led them at a brisk pace down a series of hallways. “The young lad said that he was cold. Is he ill?”  Minako ignored his questions until she stopped in the middle of a hallway with doors on either side of her. She took a shaky breath before answering him.

“Right now, I know as much as you do,” she admitted with a shakiness in her voice that proved that she was indeed more concerned than she had initially let on. “He was always a sickly child and then after his sister…” the woman trailed off and angrily brushed aside tears that were pooling in her eyes.

“We don’t need to know more, that was very nosy of Chris to ask,” Viktor said as the Swiss man shot a very offended look at him. “Lead us to our chambers and you may go and attend to the Prince. I can see that you are very worried of his wellbeing right now. We will manage to find our own way to the Hot Springs.”

“Thank you, your Highness,” she said with a curtsy. With a deep breath, she demonstrated to both the doors on either side of her. “These are your rooms. If you require anything else, feel free to ask any servant in the Hasetsu Castle and they will help you.” She bowed once more before taking off down the hallway.

“Give Prince Yuuri our best!” Viktor called out to her before she disappeared around a corner. He then turned to Chris who was giving him a look of disbelief.

“ _‘That was nosy of Chris’_ ,” the Swiss said in a mock Russian accent as he rolled his eyes at the Northern royal. “Seriously? I was trying to find out what was happening. We could’ve learnt if he really was cursed.”

“Everyone was very distressed and I think that your questions were insensitive,” Viktor admitted with a scowl. “She obviously didn’t know what was happening; she found out when we did and you really need to cut it out with that talk of the curse.” The two stared at each other.

“Well, I’m no longer in the mood to soak in the Hot Springs,” Chris said and the Russian Prince knew then that he had hurt his friend’s feelings. That didn’t mean he was going to apologize though. The Swiss noble had been in the wrong. “You may go down on your own, I’m going to rest until the banquet.”

“I’ll see you this evening then.” But Chris had already shut the door to his room. Sighing, Viktor entered his own room and was pleased to see that his things had already been delivered. Taking off his dirtied travelling clothes, the Russian royal slid on one the Japanese robes hanging off the hooks near the door and set off to find the famed Hasetsu Hot Springs.

Despite the comfortable feeling that the house gave off, Viktor couldn’t help but shiver as a sudden ice-cold breeze flew down the hall. His mind immediately drifted towards thoughts of the poor Japanese Prince and his mysterious illness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge shout out to my beta! She's been revising my work and improving the quality of it which is immensly appreciated :) [You can find her work here.](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Lesya)
> 
> Merci pour votre patience,
> 
> IceSensei


	5. V

Since his sister’s disappearance nearly eight years ago, Prince, Yuuri Katsuki, had grown up knowing the constant coldness as his closest companion, but never had he felt it at such an intensity.

It had started with the violent shivering that racked his body as he had sunk to the floor after having returned to his chambers from the throne room. Then it had struck him quite hard, almost comparable to the time he fell flat on the ice, knocking the air from his lungs. The Prince recalled something new happening as he lay on the ground, fighting to pull air back into his lungs; his breath escaped him alongside a flurry of snowflakes.

Yuuri could vaguely remember his bedroom door opening slowly. Dancer Minami, attention drawn in by the desperate wheezing from behind the closed door, had quickly jumped to action. The Prince thanked the Gods that Kenjirou had been smart enough to not touch or assist him personally, but rather to run to get help. The time in-between then and now blurred together in an indistinct series of events.

When Yuuri Katsuki came to, he was buried beneath a mound of sheets and layers of clothing had been haphazardly been put on him. He also noticed that he didn’t feel as cold as he did earlier, but it definitely was not warmth that he felt. The Prince could hear the faint mumbling of someone ordering others about through the mound of quilts and covers over him. Lifting the corner edge of his makeshift den, he spied Celestino ordering staff employees out of the Prince’s personal royal chambers.

“Celestino,” the heir spoke quietly as he poked his head out from the multiple layers of blankets. Startled, the court physician nearly dropped a freshly brought pot of boiling water as he looked over quickly to his patient who hadn’t spoken in hours. “How do I have so many sweaters on me? And how did I get in bed? I don’t remember much after Minami left to fetch help.”

“Oh Yuuri.” Ciao Ciao smiled out of relief of seeing his charge finally awake. “You gave everyone quite a fright,” he told the royal patient, ignoring the questions asked in his direction as he sat on the edge of the bed and placed the pot of water at his feet. A gloved hand came up and touched the Prince’s head as if to get a feel of his temperature but as it made contact with skin, a fine layer of frost appeared on the thick leather glove. Sighing, the doctor took a different approach. “Can you tell me how you felt at the time and what you remember?”

“I felt cold,” Yuuri admitted reluctantly, “but colder than usual, almost as if I was freezing over inside instead of outside.” The court physician hummed in encouragement for the heir to continue speaking. “Minami ran off to get help and that’s all I remember from then.” When he tried to think past that moment, his brain gave a sharp pang in protest causing him to wince.

“My Prince,” Ciao Ciao pressed, “I cannot tell you how important it is for you to tell me everything you can before you lost consciousness. What about before dancer Kenjirou arrived? Do you remember anything out of the ordinary from then?”

“I couldn’t breathe,” the patient recalled vaguely with a shudder. “Every breath I took was one that I fought for.” Then, a single memorable occurrence stood out. “Snow flakes mixed with the air that left my body,” he gasped, wide eyes looking at his doctor who looked as surprised as he felt. “Is that bad?”

“I only know as much as you do,” Celestino conceded quietly and Yuuri felt his heart drop. It took a lot for the Italian doctor to confess to not knowing something so easily. Even in all his years as the Prince’s personal physician, not once had the man admitted to something like this so openly. “But I can fill in the blanks as to what happened after if you’d like.”

“Please do,” Yuuri all but begged Ciao Ciao.

“Minami told just about everyone in Hasetsu, including your parents and the Princes of Switzerland and Russia, as to how cold you had become.” The heir groaned and shut his eyes as the medical caretaker informed him.

“Do the foreign royals know of my curse?” he dared to ask as he peeked an eye open at the amused caretaker.

“From my understanding, no. The King and Queen were greeting them when dancer Kenjirou told them only that you were unwell.” Though the fact that neither Princes knew of Yuuri’s curse comforted him, he still fretted that knowing he was unwell would invoke a dangerous curiosity in them. “Minami then came and fetched me. I had enough sense to order for some welding gloves so that I and others may actually touch you.”

“So that’s how I got into my bed,” the Prince realized.

“Indeed,” the physician nodded. “Prince Chulanont and dancer Minami were the only ones willing to help me move you onto your bed. The staff brought in the heated blankets and pots of Spring water after we layered more clothing on you.” A small feeling of pride swelled in the Prince’s chest; so most of the staff finally started coming to their senses when in concerned his personal space and their own safety.

“Good,” he conceded. The look that Celestino gave him was one that told him that his doctor did not agree with. “I value their wellbeing as much as mine, even you should be a little more careful with your health Ciao Ciao,” Yuuri argued with the physician as he pulled himself up into a sitting position. “If I hurt others when I am being tended to, I’d rather not be tended to at all.”

“I assure you that your health holds more importance that you give it,” the Italian scolded his patient as he lifted the pot of warm water from his feet. “You are the sole heir to the throne, you are more important than ever as you approach your coming of age.” The doctor pulled out a white cloth which he wrung out before reaching to place it on the Prince’s forehead. The towelette, however, froze before it could even touch the heir’s cursed skin.

“I think we should stop trying with that.” Ciao Ciao shot him a glare as he dunked the cloth in the water again before attempting to place it again. As the last time, it froze stiff. “Celestino, it’s not working,” Yuuri murmured softly. The doctor looked ready to argue for a fleeting moment before his shoulders sagged in defeat.

“I know it isn’t, I just don’t know what else to do.” Yuuri watched quietly as Celestino’s eyes welled up with tears. “I feel like I’m failing you, I’ve never felt this useless as someone’s healer.” The Prince longed to reach out and comfort the Italian but was stuck with trying to soothe him with words instead.

“You are doing more than anybody else out there is even able to,” was all the Prince said as nothing else came to mind. The two men sat in silence as the court physician let it sink in. For the doctor’s sake, Yuuri put on a brave face. “You can’t have tried everything. We can still try to figure this out.”

“You’re right,” Celestino agreed as he fiercely brushed the tears from his eyes. “I still have faith that this can be cured!” Despite being glad to see the man motivated once again, Yuuri feared that he may have fed the Italian false hope as he watched the physician stand with renewed energy. Back and forth, the doctor paced the room with a hand held to his chin as he mumbled ideas to himself in Italian. “We’ve tried the Hot Springs.”

“On several occasions,” Prince Yuuri added helpfully.

“Hot foods and drinks?” the Italian asked.

“Didn’t work,” the royal noted. “Made me put on weight if anything.”

“Steam rooms? Hot coals? Exercises meant to warm the body’s core?” Celestino persisted.

“Been there, tried those,” the Katsuki son pushed aside the ideas that have been brought up before in the near eight years of the curse. The doctor sighed impatiently as he stood still before the Prince.

“Perhaps we should get help from elsewhere,” Ciao Ciao admitted as he gazed at the Prince. “I have been training Prince Chulanont as my apprentice, after all. It wouldn’t hurt to bring him into these discussions. He does already know of your condition anyways.” The Katsuki heir hummed in agreement before finally noting the absence of his one friend who the Italian claimed had been here.

“Where is Phichit anyways?” Yuuri asked out of curiosity. “You said he helped you get me into bed, but he’s not here?”

“That was hours ago, your Majesty,” Celestino informed him helpfully. “There is a banquet for the arrivals of Prince Giacometti and Prince Nikiforov that required all figures of importance. Save for you, of course. You are to heal as much as possible before attending to any royal duties.”

“Thank my lucky stars,” Yuuri couldn’t help the sigh of relief that escaped his lips. Ciao Ciao gave him a knowing look and the Prince ducked his head away in embarrassment. “I really didn’t want to go. I’m sure the entire castle knows of that by now.”

“So I heard,” the Italian chuckled. “But do not worry about that, I was told of what happened in the throne room earlier today by the King and Queen themselves, who told me not to speak to anyone of it.” The fond expression on the doctor’s face morphed into a stern one. “I don’t think I need to say that it would be beneficial for your health not to let your moods get the best of you again.”

“I’m sorry,” the heir mumbled as he averted his eyes away from the court physician’s in shame. “I didn’t mean to get so upset by the arrival of the royals. I guess I got too used to only having to deal with one at a time and the sudden change was not one I was expecting.”

“Your highness, you have nothing to be sorry for.” The soft tone had returned to Ciao Ciao’s voice and Yuuri dared a glance up. Soft eyes gazed at him with the pity that he hated so much. “It was something I doubt could have been avoided easily. And you had a right to be upset, it was only fair on your part.”

“Ciao Ciao!” A familiar voice echoed loudly throughout Yuuri’s chambers as Phichit pushed his way in unannounced. “You’re needed in the kitchens! There’s been an acci-” the Thai Ambassador cut himself off abruptly as he noticed the heir conscious and sitting up in bed. “Yuuri! How are you? I do hope you are feeling better!” He darted over quickly and sat on the edge of the bed, gazing at the Prince in concern.

“I am much better, thank you.” Yuuri nodded to his friend who let out a cheer. “I think my body temperature is back at where it usually is. Nothing to worry about anymore.” The triumphant grin on Phichit’s face changed into a scowl at the last comment.

“Of course it’s something to worry about!” the Thai Prince protested strongly. “Do you have any idea as to how worried everyone was?” Yuuri allowed for himself to fall backwards on his pillows and for his eyes to close as he let out an annoyed sigh. He tuned out Phichit’s voice as he went off on his rant; it was one that the Japanese Prince knew very well. After a minute or so, he opened his eyes lazily and watched his friend until Celestino elbowed him to be quiet.

“I have already warned the Prince as to making comments of that kind,” the court physician informed his pupil, whose scowl deepened.

“Well, obviously it hasn’t sunken it!” Prince Chulanont argued passionately with his mentor.

“We were discussing things that could help me,” Yuuri interrupted in attempt to pull the attention away from his low self-worth. It seemed to work as his friend’s interest was drawn like a fly to honey. “Celestino and I have been discussing different treatments and thought that you may have fresh ideas.”

“Of course I do,” Phichit said with a grin like the Cheshire cat. “When do I not have ideas? Why, I am always brimming with them!” The Japanese Prince couldn’t help his smile as he watched the Italian physician soften at the Thai’s enthusiasm. “First order of business, can you think of anything that made you feel relatively warm?” The Katsuki heir took a minute to ponder.

“I…” he began as he thought back to the rink earlier that day. The way his body moved on the rink to the idea of Leo’s musical composition, the way in which he had twizzled and turned on the edges of his skate. It had held something that the Prince could compare to a heated passion and Yuuri wanted to get back out on the ice to see if he could capture it again.

 But it was something that he wanted to capture alone.

“Nothing comes to mind right away,” the Japanese heir lied smoothly, but Prince Chulanont knew him well enough to be able to call him out on a lie so he moved quickly to change the topic again. “Phichit, didn’t you say that there was an accident or something in the kitchens?”

“Oh yeah!” The Thai predictably fell for the bait right away as he turned to face his medical mentor. “Seung told me to fetch you because the head chef has spilled boiling water on himself and he needs to be tended to immediately!”

“This will be a good learning opportunity for you,” Celestino said thoughtfully. “You haven’t been taught as to how to deal with burns yet. I would want you to come with me, but I would rather not leave Yuuri alone at the moment.” The Japanese Prince scowled at the court physician; the last comment made him feel like a toddler who had to be babysat.

“I assure you, I feel fine,” the heir piped up to defend his honour. “No one needs to be watching me at all anymore.”

“Minami is in the hallway,” Phichit mentioned casually as he ignored his friend. “He could stay with Yuuri until one of us comes back.” Yuuri bit back a groan at being supervised by the one person in the castle who idolized him. Celestino must not have seen an issue with that as he nodded to his pupil. “Minami!” the Thai called out and within two seconds, the dancer poked his head in.

“Kenjirou, stay with the Prince until one of us returns,” Ciao Ciao ordered the teenager who gleefully saluted the court physician. Celestino then turned his attention back to Phichit. “We should have been in the kitchen minutes ago. Tell me exactly what happened as we go.” The two took off at a run, leaving Yuuri behind with his babysitter.

“Hiya Yuuri!” Kenjirou grinned broadly at the Prince who started removing some of the many layers of clothing that covered him. They were doing absolutely nothing so there was no point in keeping them on. “If there is anything I can do to help you out, I am at your service!” The heir considered the offer carefully. There was one thing he really wanted to do right now.

“Take me skating.” Dancer Minami looked surprised at the order as he stared open mouthed at his idol. “It is the only thing that I want to do right now, so take me skating.”

“Eh,” the boy mumbled as he twiddled his thumbs uncertainly. “You are recovering right now, your highness, and I do not want to go against the court physician’s orders. He told me not to-”

“-not to leave my side,” Yuuri informed factually. The Prince knew that he was twisting his doctor’s orders to suit his needs, but Phichit’s question really had him thinking and he needed to test how he had really felt on the ice. If it had actually been a hint of warmth that he had felt after all. “And you won’t be leaving my side, because you will be coming with me.” Though Minami seemed comforted by the fact, he still seemed to be debating listening to Yuuri.

“I don’t think that’s what he meant,” the dancer argued weakly. “I think he wanted you to stay in your rooms.”

“Nonsense!” protested the Prince with as much false cheer as he could to try and influence the younger teen. “Besides, I think that ice skating even makes me feel better, if anything.” He spoke that part truthfully as he did feel that being at his pond would honestly improve his wellbeing.

“Well, I guess if it would make you feel better,” the younger boy gave in as Yuuri got up from his bed to grab his cloak which someone had hung on a hook by his door.

“Minami! You are the best!” The dancer flushed at the praise and followed the heir out the bedroom door and into the quiet hallway. “Many people will not be wanting me out of the castle right now,” Yuuri admitted as they waited behind a corner for a guard to pass. “So your job is to get me out of here by any means. This is like a mission.”

“A mission?” the younger boy asked in awe of the elder.

“A mission.” the heir confirmed as he snuck a peek around the corner; the coast was clear. When he glanced back at the dancer, Minami seemed to have forgotten all about his earlier worries and looked ready to do everything to get Yuuri to his pond. He felt momentarily guilty for the future trouble he may causing the youngster, but he brushed it aside. “Can you handle it?”

“Anything for you, Prince Yuuri!” The dedication in Kenjirou’s voice only cemented the heir’s belief that despite the guards, he could indeed manage to leave the Hasetsu Castle unnoticed. The Japanese Prince took the lead as they made their way down the palace halls, ducking out of sight occasionally as voices drew near. Minami remained true to his words as he spied a group of staff members gathered in a hallway that they couldn’t avoid. After five minutes, the cluster showed no signs of moving.

“Minami,” the heir whispered in a panicked tone. “What do we do?”

“I’ll distract them,” the dancer dutifully told the Prince as they hid behind a corner. “I don’t know how long I’ll have to stay with them to not appear suspicious, but you keep going. I’ll catch up eventually.” Yuuri was impressed with how seriously the younger teen was taking this task as he spied Minami strolling up to the group and moving them elsewhere. When they were out of sight, he continued his mission onwards.

As he rounded corner after corner, most of the hallways appeared to be unwatched which worked in the Prince’s favour. He made a disastrous mistake, though, as he finally arrived to the hallway which had a door that would lead him outside the palace. His confidence boosted from having been met by so many empty corridors, Yuuri stepped one foot around the bend without checking for guards. A green uniformed guard, however, stood near the secret door and caught a glimpse of the Prince before he could hide himself again.

“Hello?” The guard called out as Yuuri hid himself around the corner with both hands clamped over his mouth to hide his breathing. “Who’s there?” The voice of the sentry only drew nearer. The Japanese heir knew that he had to retreat to avoid being caught out of his chambers now. He silently rounded another corner only to bump into another figure sending them both sprawling on the ground.

“I’m so sorry!” the apology was accompanied by a foreign accent and the Prince watched in a daze as a silver-haired man stood up and brushed dust off himself. Before Yuuri could stop them, the other man grabbed him by his wrists and pulled him to his feet. The Japanese heir could only stare in shock as the other individual’s hands remained unharmed by his touch. “Are you alright?”

“But, but, but…” Yuuri gaped in awe at the man. He was handsome and most likely one of the foreign royals that was staying in the palace. Nikiforov or Giacometti, whichever one it was, looked a few inches taller than him and their paleness rivalled even Yuuri’s.

“Are you okay?” the stranger repeated, effectively snapping the Japanese Prince from his state of shock. The footsteps of the guard were rapidly approaching and the Katsuki heir was desperate not to be caught. As his only available resource, the royal son turned to the foreigner.

“I need you to hide me,” the Prince begged. “Please!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took more for me to start than it would normally take... But once I started, it was easy to keep going! Exam season for my high school is coming up so I'm rushing to get chapters done ahead of time so that I may post them even as I am studying.
> 
> Merci pour votre temps!
> 
> IceSensei

**Author's Note:**

> Any questions can be directed to [my tumblr](https://iicesensei.tumblr.com/) or you can email me at ao3icesensei@gmail.com
> 
> A huge thank you to my beta, read her own works [here!](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Lesya)
> 
> Thank you for reading!!!


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